docs: add maintainer workflow (#123)

Co-authored-by: Mriyam Tamuli <[email protected]>

Author: mugdha-adhav

docs/maintainer-workflow.md

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+# Maintainer guide
+
+Welcome to the maintainer guide for our project!
+As a project maintainer, you play a crucial role in ensuring the success and health of the project.
+Below are key responsibilities and guidelines to help you manage the project effectively.
+
+## Key responsibilities
+
+### Manage Issues
+1. Issue Triage
+    - Establish a regular schedule for reviewing and triaging open issues.
+    - Close irrelevant issues, and categorize and prioritize others using milestones.
+
+1. Acknowledging an Issue
+    - Review new issues promptly to address major blockers.
+    - Leave a comment on the issue to show appreciation for the creator's time and efforts.
+    - Request additional details if the issue description is unclear.
+
+1. Labelling Issues
+    - Add appropriate labels to convey the status of each issue.
+    - Stalebot ignores issues labeled `awaiting-inputs`, `work-in-progress`, and `help-wanted`. See [automation docs](docs/automation.md)
+    - Guidelines for specific labels:
+        - `help-wanted`: Use for issues that we want to work on but haven't been picked up.
+        - `work-in-progress`: Indicate ongoing work without a corresponding pull request.
+        - `wontfix`/`invalid`: Always add with a clear explanation.
+
+1. Assigning an Issue
+    - Assign issues to contributors who show interest or agree to work on them.
+    - If someone has started working on an issue, assign it to them for visibility.
+
+### Manage Pull Requests (PRs)
+1. PR review
+    - Hold off on reviewing until the contributor indicates readiness, unless explicitly asked otherwise.
+    - Label PRs with `awaiting-inputs` if help is needed to understand the changes.
+    - Ensure that new features or changes are properly documented.
+    - Ensure that adequate tests are added (or already exists), create a separate issue if required.
+
+1. PR approval and merge
+    - Contributors cannot merge PRs, assist them in the merging process.
+    - Ensure Continuous Integration (CI) passes before merging, except for non-code/test changes.
+    - [Approve CI builds for first time contributors](https://docs.github.com/en/actions/managing-workflow-runs/approving-workflow-runs-from-public-forks#approving-workflow-runs-on-a-pull-request-from-a-public-fork).
+
+1. Labeling PRs
+    - Stalebot ignores PRs labeled `awaiting-inputs`, `work-in-progress`, and `help-wanted`.
+    - It's a good practice to add appropriate labels on PRs.
+
+### Manage Releases
+- Choose the correct tag based on major, minor, or patch fixes using [semver versioning](https://semver.org/).
+- Aim to create releases promptly to minimize user wait times.
+- If possible, update releases with informative release notes highlighting breaking changes, major features, and bug fixes.
+
+### Arrange and Drive Community Meetings
+- Attend community meetings to engage with contributors and users.
+- Promptly address action items from meeting notes.
+- Foster a welcoming, open-minded, respectful, and friendly environment.
+
+### Ensure Code of Conduct Compliance
+- Familiarize yourself with the [CNCF code of conduct](https://www.cncf.io/conduct/).
+- Enforce the code of conduct among contributors and maintainers, taking necessary actions when required.
+
+### Keeping the Repository Up to Date
+- Periodically review documentation and create issues for any missing pieces.
+- Implement automation to reduce inconsistencies and enhance productivity.
+
+## Reading materials
+For further insights, refer to these valuable resources:
+- [Best practices for maintainers](https://opensource.guide/best-practices)
+- [Practical skills for maintainers](https://www.freecodecamp.org/news/practical-skills-for-open-source-maintainers)
+- [Becoming an open source maintainer](https://kentcdodds.com/blog/becoming-an-open-source-project-maintainer)
+
+**Thank you for your dedication to maintaining our project!**